NEW DELHI: Describing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to AAP National Convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as politically motivated, senior AAP leaders have alleged that the agency’s summons is a conspiracy to detain the Chief Minister and impede his campaign efforts in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
AAP leaders expressed surprise that neither the ED nor the central government has clarified the basis for summoning Kejriwal, despite repeated requests. AAP Rajya Sabha MP and National General Secretary Sandeep Pathak questioned the central government regarding the timing of the summons, pointing out the proximity to the Lok Sabha elections.
He noted that the case has been ongoing for 1.5 years, with chargesheets filed in court; yet the probing agency has neither accused Kejriwal nor called him as a witness. Pathak suggested that the BJP’s intention is to jail Kejriwal to prevent his participation in the Lok Sabha election campaign. He further stated that the BJP is threatened by Kejriwal’s growing national popularity.
Despite Manish Sisodia’s prolonged detention, no evidence of financial misconduct has been found, AAP claimed. Sandeep Pathak accused the BJP of using the ED to execute a political conspiracy to keep Kejriwal from campaigning.
He criticized the BJP for allegedly protecting corrupt leaders in Maharashtra, claiming that these individuals are absolved of their corruption upon joining the BJP and are even appointed to significant positions. The AAP, he said, will not fall into the BJP’s trap and will retaliate against these politically motivated actions.
“The BJP had leveled serious corruption allegations against certain leaders in Maharashtra, who are now ministers in the Maharashtra government. All these corrupt individuals, upon joining the BJP, become spotless. They are appointed to significant positions, from becoming Chief Ministers to becoming ministers,” Pathak said.
“We won’t get trapped in the trap that the BJP has set for the Aam Aadmi Party. We will respond to the BJP in their language. The summons sent to Kejriwal by ED is completely politically motivated,” he added.
Third skip
Kejriwal was asked to appear before the ED on Wednesday for questioning in connection with an alleged excise policy-linked money laundering case. This was the third notice to Kejriwal after he refused to appear.